Wideband high dynamic range low noise amplifier
AssigneeBAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
InventorJames J. Komiak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device, system and method for a wideband low noise amplifier is provided. The device may include a main amplifier and an error amplifier. In each amplifier is a phase inverter configured to invert the incoming signal. Additionally, rather than being formed from discrete components, the conductors of this wideband low noise amplifier are formed from microwave monolithic integrated circuits to provide for greater efficiency, which enables the low noise amplifier to operate in wideband rather than narrowband. A method of using the same is also provided.
Claims21
A wideband low noise amplifier (LNA) having high dynamic range comprising:
- an input splitter to split a radio frequency power signal into a signal first pathway and a signal second pathway;
- a main amplifier including a first wideband phase inverter electrically connected downstream from the input splitter along the first pathway;
- an error amplifier including a second wideband phase inverter electrically connected downstream from the input splitter and parallel to the main amplifier along the second pathway;
- a combiner electrically connected downstream to the main amplifier and the error amplifier merging the signal first and second pathways into a combined signal pathway;
- and
- wherein the first wideband phase inverter and the second wideband phase inverter eliminate any subtraction function during an in-phase summation at the combiner.
A wideband low noise amplifier (LNA) having high dynamic range comprising:
- an input splitter to split a radio frequency power signal equally into a signal first pathway and a signal second pathway;
- a main amplifier electrically connected downstream from the input splitter along the first pathway;
- an error amplifier electrically connected downstream from the input splitter and parallel to the main amplifier along the second pathway;
- a combiner electrically connected downstream to the main amplifier and the error amplifier merging the signal first and second pathways into a combined signal pathway;
- wherein the first wideband phase inverter and the second wideband phase inverter eliminate any subtraction function during an in-phase summation at the combiner;
- and
- monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) optimized conductors defining:
- an electrical connection between the input splitter and the main amplifier, an electrical connection between the input splitter and the error amplifier, an electrical connection between the main amplifier and the combiner, and an electrical connection between the error amplifier and the combiner.
A method for a wideband low noise amplifier (LNA) comprising the steps of:
- dividing a powered radio frequency input signal equally into a first signal and a second signal at an input splitter;
- inverting the first signal in a main amplifier with a first phase inverter and simultaneously delaying the second signal in a first delay device;
- amplifying the first signal in the main amplifier and creating distortion in the first signal when first signal is amplified;
- outputting the amplified first signal with distortion from the main amplifier;
- attenuating the amplified first signal with distortion to the input signal level with a resistive coupler;
- sending a portion of the amplified first signal through a second delay device to time align the first and second signals;
- inverting the second signal in an error amplifier with a second phase inverter and amplifying the second signal to create an amplified second signal;
- and
- combining the amplified second signal with the portion of the amplified first signal sent through the second delay in a power combiner;
- wherein the first phase inverter in the main amplifier and the second phase inverter in the error amplifier eliminate any subtraction function during in-phase phase summation at the combiner.
A wideband low noise amplifier (LNA) having high dynamic range comprising:
- an input splitter to split a radio frequency power signal equally into a signal first pathway and a signal second pathway;
- a main amplifier electrically connected downstream from the input splitter along the first pathway;
- an error amplifier electrically connected downstream from the input splitter and parallel to the main amplifier along the second pathway;
- a combiner electrically connected downstream to the main amplifier and the error amplifier merging the signal first and second pathways into a combined signal pathway;
- wherein the main amplifier and the error amplifier eliminate any subtraction function during an in-phase summation at the combiner;
- a first fusible link resistor (FRAP) network to set quiescent bias current of the main amplifier;
- and
- a second FRAP network to set the quiescent bias current of the error amplifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.